The idea of supplying Europe with solar power from Africa’s deserts is in many ways a tempting proposition. Many believe that in view of climate change, water scarcity and the depletion of fossil fuels, the DESERTEC initiative presents a sound concept for a sustainable energy supply. The cooperative approach is aimed at establishing a solar partnership between the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries and the EU, and aims to help stabilize the south Mediterranean region. These opportunities, however, are offset by risks, as was pointed out by participants of an expert workshop organized by Germanwatch e.V. together with Adelphi Research and the European Climate Foundation in Berlin on 6 May.



The experts felt that as a confidence- and partnership-building measure, DESERTEC can serve as the cornerstone of a Euro-Mediterranean survival pact, with both regions mutually dependent on one another: Europe needs climate-friendly energy, while North Africa depends on food imports. However, given that power from the desert will comprise just 15 percent of Europe’s energy mix, it is doubtful whether this dependence will be balanced. There is also a disparity in expert knowledge and investment capacity in favour of Europe. The participants therefore emphasized that DESERTEC must provide technical training and transfer know how.



One of the presentations suggested that societal power structures will similarly play a key role in the success of the initiative. For instance, how can profits be distributed equitably and how can local groups be involved? Political stability is a prerequisite for preventing the emergence of new risks, such as the need to protect the power networks by force. The experts agreed that more attention needs to be paid to the rights of nomads and other traditional user groups in the project regions. Successful reference projects should first be set up to generate confidence. The participants were of the view that such projects should build on the experiences gained during development cooperation so as to firmly establish sustainability criteria and prevent social tensions from occurring. (Christiane Roettger)



Further information on the workshop entitled "DESERTEC – Building Block of a New Security Architecture in the MENA-EU Region?" is available here.

Published in: ECC-Newsletter, June 2010